ESPN UK Continues Euroleague Coverage
ESPN UK is set to continue its coverage of the Turkish Airlines Euroleague from the beginning of this season’s Top 16 phase, after announcing a new deal with Euroleague Basketball.
Under the new deal, which extends a partnership that began in 2010, ESPN will carry a weekly ‘Game of the Week’ show, starting with the first match-up of the Top 16 phase – Montepaschi Siena’s clash with Maccabi Electra Tel Aviv on 27th December.
The pay-TV broadcaster’s coverage will then continue throughout the Top 16 phase, the play-offs and, finally, the 2013 Turkish Airlines Euroleague Final Four, which is set to take place at London’s O2 Arena from 10th to 12th May.
In addition to games, ESPN UK will also air the weekly Euroleague Basketball Magazine show and the documentary series titled ‘Basketball Cities presented by Turkish Airlines’ later this season.
Andrea Bassani, Euroleague Basketball’s chief of television and new media rights officer, said: ‘We are very happy to continue collaborating with ESPN in the UK and Ireland markets, guaranteeing the best platform for Euroleague Basketball in the UK. One of our main goals this season was to find an ideal partner to broadcast the Euroleague games in the UK, where we are bringing our signature event, the Final Four.’
‘We are convinced that through this agreement with ESPN UK and the upcoming Final Four in London our basketball will prove to be something that sports fans in the United Kingdom enjoy immensely.’
Simon Potter, senior director of programming and production at ESPN EMEA, added: ‘We’re very happy to continue to add to the variety of top sport that we offer to fans in the UK and Ireland, and feel that basketball fans now know ESPN is the home for hoops in the UK and Ireland – with the Euroleague joining the NBA and NCAA coverage.’
